Sinnott Alison M, Bokkers Eddie A M, Murphy John Paul, Kennedy Emer
Teagasc, Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Moorepark, Co. Cork, P61 P302 Fermoy, Ireland.
Animal Production Systems Group, Wageningen University & Research, P.O. Box 338, 6700 AH Wageningen, The Netherlands.
Animals (Basel). 2023 Mar 10;13(6):1019. doi: 10.3390/ani13061019.
It is unknown whether calf rearing facilities in the Republic of Ireland are fit for purpose, or if facilities sufficiently consider calf and farmer welfare. The aim of this study was to review current calf housing facilities and management practices on Irish farms to determine if calves are reared in structurally appropriate facilities with management decisions that safeguard calf and farmer welfare. Fifty-one farms located in the Munster region in the Republic of Ireland were visited twice: (1) Pre-calving (December-January) and (2) During peak calving (January-March). During visit one, herd owners completed a questionnaire regarding calf housing and management practices on-farm and each facility used to rear calves was measured (measurement of cubic air capacity, ventilation, pen area, drainage etc.) without calves being present. Visit two consisted of a short interview with the principal calf manager to validate previously asked questions and environmental based measurements of each calf house that had been recorded, with any deviation from the first visit noted (measurements of temperature, wind speed, light intensity, facility provisions in-house and in-pen; calves present). Average herd size was 254, operating a spring calving system with a median calving season length of 11.6 weeks. While most farms expanded (88%; N = 51), this did not appear to have negatively affected calf space allowances (9.9% houses overcrowded at a space allowance of 1.5 m/calf; N = 121). Calves were most commonly housed in group sizes of <12 (71.6% of all groupings; N = 394), with farmers moving away from individual housing for a period immediately post-birth, to grouping them immediately instead (58.8%; N = 51). The number of farmers testing colostrum was 31.4% (N = 51). Although the calving season was compact, most farmers were unconcerned about the upcoming spring workload (58.8%; N = 51). Farms appeared sufficiently prepared for spring, with most using the same number or less sheds during visit two than declared in visit one (76.5%; N = 51). To conclude, farmers made sufficient provision for calf housing and space allowances for calves that facilitated group housing post-birth. While structural and management components of rearing systems appear in line with sectoral recommendations, certain areas require attention on many farms (e.g., colostrum testing) to safeguard calf welfare and reduce the workload associated with calf rearing for farmers.
爱尔兰共和国的犊牛饲养设施是否符合要求，或者这些设施是否充分考虑了犊牛和养殖户的福利，目前尚不清楚。本研究的目的是审查爱尔兰农场当前的犊牛饲养设施和管理实践，以确定犊牛是否在结构合适的设施中饲养，其管理决策是否保障了犊牛和养殖户的福利。对位于爱尔兰共和国芒斯特地区的51个农场进行了两次走访：（1）产犊前（12月至1月）和（2）产犊高峰期（1月至3月）。在第一次走访期间，牛群所有者填写了一份关于农场犊牛饲养和管理实践的问卷，并在没有犊牛在场的情况下对每个用于饲养犊牛的设施进行了测量（测量立方空气容量、通风、围栏面积、排水等）。第二次走访包括与主要犊牛管理人员进行简短访谈，以验证之前询问的问题，并对每个犊牛舍进行基于环境的测量记录，记录与第一次走访的任何偏差（测量温度、风速、光照强度、舍内和围栏内的设施配备；有犊牛在场）。平均牛群规模为254头，采用春季产犊系统，产犊季节中位数长度为11.6周。虽然大多数农场进行了扩张（88%；N = 51），但这似乎并未对犊牛的空间配额产生负面影响（在每头犊牛1.5平方米的空间配额下，9.9%的牛舍拥挤；N = 121）。犊牛最常见的饲养群体规模小于12头（占所有群体的71.6%；N = 394），养殖户不再在犊牛出生后立即采用单独饲养，而是立即将它们分组饲养（58.8%；N = 51）。检测初乳的养殖户比例为31.4%（N = 51）。尽管产犊季节紧凑，但大多数养殖户并不担心即将到来的春季工作量（58.8%；N = 51）。农场似乎为春季做好了充分准备，在第二次走访中，大多数农场使用的牛舍数量与第一次走访申报的相同或更少（76.5%；N = 51）。总之，养殖户为犊牛饲养提供了足够的设施和空间配额，便于犊牛出生后进行群体饲养。虽然饲养系统的结构和管理要素似乎符合行业建议，但许多农场的某些方面仍需关注（例如，初乳检测），以保障犊牛福利并减轻养殖户与犊牛饲养相关的工作量。
